Addition of walnut shells biochar to alkaline arable soil caused contradictory effects on CO and NO emissions, nutrients availability, and enzymes activity.

Mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHGs) emissions and improving soil health using biochar (BC) shall help achieving the UN-Sustainable Development Goals. The impacts of walnut shells biochar (WSB) pyrolyzed at different temperatures on CO and NO emission and soil health have not been yet sufficiently explored. We investigated the effects of addition of WSB pyrolyzed at either 300 °C (WSB-300), 450 °C (WSB-450), or at 600 °C (WSB-600) to alkaline soil on CO and NO emissions, nutrients availability, and soil enzymes activities in a 120-day incubation experiment.

Residual effects of tobacco biochar along with different fixing agents on stabilization of trace elements in multi-metal contaminated soils.

The residual effect of tobacco biochar (TB ≥ 500°C) mono and co-application with Ca-hydroxide (CH), Ca-bentonite (CB) and natural zeolite (NZ) on the bio-availability of trace elements TE(s) in alkaline soils has not been deeply studied yet. A pot study that had earlier been investigated TB mono and blended with CH, CB and NZ on the immobilization of Pb, Cu Cd, and Zn by Chinese cabbage. Maize crop in the rotation was selected as test plant to assess the residual impact of amendments on stabilization of Pb, Cu Cd, and Zn in mine polluted (M-P), smelter heavily and low polluted (S-HP and S-LP, respectively) soils.

Effect of sugar industry spentwash (diluted) on the characteristics of soil and sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) growth in the subtropical environment of Sindh, Pakistan.

Spentwash is a rich source of organic matter and essential plant nutrients in addition to excess salts. Sugar mills in Pakistan discharge about 3.48 million tons of spentwash annually, with no proper procedures for its disposal or utilization.

Drinking water quality assessment in Southern Sindh (Pakistan).

The southern Sindh province of Pakistan adjoins the Arabian Sea coast where drinking water quality is deteriorating due to dumping of industrial and urban waste and use of agrochemicals and yet has limited fresh water resources. The study assessed the drinking water quality of canal, shallow pumps, dug wells, and water supply schemes from the administrative districts of Thatta, Badin, and Thar by measuring physical, chemical, and biological (total coliform) quality parameters. All four water bodies (dug wells, shallow pumps canal water, and water supply schemes) exceeded WHO MPL for turbidity (24%, 28%, 96%, 69%), coliform (96%, 77%, 92%, 81%), and electrical conductivity (100%, 99%, 44%, 63%), respectively.